This event marks the culmination and album launch of the Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin Archive Project (funded by Creative Scotland and supported by the University of Edinburgh). Tasked with creating new music and mentored by award-winning fiddler and composer Mike Vass, seven young traditional musicians have been exploring the vast repository of folklore and heritage housed in the School of Scottish Studies Archives. The final product is a collection of creativity: new tunes and songs drawn from collected material, old tunes re-worked, and found voices. We will hear some of this new music performed live: a fantastic opportunity to discover some of the riches of the Archives through musical performance and multimedia.

This is the second engagement project linked with the Archives in recent years (previously Archive Trails). While this event marks the end of one project, it also anticipates the next: the ‘Remembered/Imagined’ commission in collaboration with McFall’s chamber. In recognition of this continuing creativity, we will be joined by artists from both previous and future projects. We also welcome others who have been involved with the Archives over recent years (inc. Tobair an Dualchais/Kist O’ Riches Artist-in-Residence):

• Chris Wright Tobair and Dualchais/Kist O Riches Scots Artist-in-Residence
• Steve Byrne Scots singer, Scottish folksong group Malinky
• Gary West Piper, Lecturer in Scottish Ethnology (University of Edinburgh), author Voicing Scotland
• Margaret Callan Gaelic singer, researcher, author Air Bilean an t-Sluaigh
• Mike Vass  Award-winning fiddler and composer, EYG tutor, Remembered/Imagined project
• Alasdair Roberts Scottish folk musician, Archive Trails
• Drew Wright/Wounded Knee singer, experimental vocalist, Archive Trails
• Amble Skuse composer, Producer of Remember/Imagined project
• Edinburgh Youth Gaitherin’ Big Bang young musicians